Photovoltaic (PV) modules that include a plurality of photovoltaic cells connected in series utilize bypass diodes to route current around shaded or damaged cells. Most of the existing commercial PV modules use one bypass diode per string of PV cells. Some use none. Existing methods of incorporating bypass diodes in PV modules are cumbersome, costly and often require a junction box or a secondary stringing operation. Moreover, currently used diodes are frequently plagued by failures from overcurrent and overheating.
A need exists to develop alternative photovoltaic modules that incorporate bypass diodes and alternative methods for incorporating bypass diodes in photovoltaic modules.